As Attorney-General, Chapman led the charge on a suite of social policy, including last year’s termination of pregnancy Bill that enraged many conservative Liberal members – and put her at loggerheads with then-Environment Minister David Speirs, who led the parliamentary push against the legislation.
With Speirs widely expected to lead the Liberal Party when the party-room meets, insiders have suggested Chapman would be unlikely to remain in parliament under his leadership.
Asked today whether she had flagged a by-election if Speirs is elected leader, Chapman told: “I’m not commenting on anything in relation to the leadership – I think they’re all matters I’ll discuss in the party-room.”
She did, however, clarify that “I’m not standing for any of the [leadership] positions” thrown open after the party’s election defeat, with outgoing Premier Steven Marshall quitting the leadership and her replacement as deputy, Dan van Holst Pellekaan, losing his seat.
However, Chapman was less definitive about whether she would put her hand up for a frontbench role.
“I haven’t been asked and that’s not being considered at this point – so we’ll see,” she said.
“I’ll do whatever I can to support those that are elected.”
She repeatedly declined to commit to serving her full four-year term in her safe eastern suburbs seat of Bragg, saying: “I’m not playing that game, ruling things in or out.”
Marshxjmtzywall has publicly committed both before and after the election to serve out his four-year term in neighbouring Dunstan. Chapman was the only other member of the Liberal party-room to attend last week’s declaration of the poll in the former Premier’s seat.
Asked to comment on her relationship with Speirs, which several party colleagues have described as fractious, Chapman said: “I won’t make any comment on the leadership, or in relation to what I might do.”
“You can ask me one hundred ways – I’m not going to comment on that,” she said.
